The yellow-breasted brushfinch, also known as the cloud-forest brushfinch, is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of Atlapetes rufinucha.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Found in humid montane and cloud forests from Venezuela through Colombia and Ecuador to northern Peru. It prefers forest edges, secondary growth, and dense shrub layers, especially bamboo thickets and landslide or roadcut vegetation. The species often forages in the understory to midstory and tolerates moderately disturbed habitats. It may occur near forested farms and hedgerows adjacent to intact forest.
Altitude Range
1600–3500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the cloud-forest brushfinch, it inhabits dense montane thickets where it often travels in pairs or small family groups. It is part of the rufous-naped/Yellow-breasted brushfinch complex, and its taxonomy has been revised by different authorities over time. The species readily joins mixed-species flocks in the understory and favors bamboo (Chusquea) tangles along forest edges.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups and frequently joins mixed-species flocks in the understory. Nests are cup-shaped and placed low in dense shrubs or bamboo. Both parents participate in rearing young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song consists of clear, whistled phrases and tinkling trills delivered from concealed perches. Calls are sharp chips and thin seep notes used to maintain contact in dense cover.
Plumage
Dense, smooth plumage with gray-olive upperparts and bright yellow underparts; head largely dark with a contrasting yellow throat and breast.
Diet
Takes a mixed diet of insects and other small arthropods, along with berries and small fruits. It gleans from leaves and twigs, probes moss and epiphytes, and occasionally picks prey from the ground. Seasonal fruit availability can influence the proportion of plant material consumed.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense understory of cloud forests, especially in bamboo tangles, forest edges, and shrubby clearings. Often feeds along trails, roadcuts, and regenerating secondary growth near intact forest.
